Clinical implications of psychological well-being

The concept of psychological well-being has been neglected for a long time in scientific literature. In the last decades, however, many psychometric instruments have been developed to measure it. The aim of the present paper was to analyze the concept of psychological well-being and its relationship to distress and personality traits, with particular emphasis on its implications in clinical settings. A new psychotherapeutic strategy for improving psychological wellbeing (Well-Being Therapy) is introduced. Well-being therapy is based on Ryff's multidimensional model of psychological well-being, encompassing six dimensions: autonomy, personal growth, environmental mastery, purpose in life, positive relations and self-acceptance. It may be applied as a relapse-preventive strategy in the residual phase of affective (mood and anxiety) disorders, as an additional ingredient of cognitive-behavioral packages, in patients with affective disorders who failed to respond to standard pharmacological or psychotherapeutic treatments and in body image disturbances. The clinical studies supporting its efficacy are illustrated